Railway traffic controlling system



Oct. 18, 1932. s. N. WIGHT RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 1, 1929 BY 5I.NV7EZT%.

@ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEDGWICK N. WIGHT, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING SYSTEM Application filed November 1, 1929.

This invention relates to systems for controlling power operated switches from a dis tant point, and more particularly to means for obtaining indications at the distant point of the operation and position of the switch, in conjunction with an indication of the presence of a train adjacent the switch.

Where remote controlled power operated switch machines are employed, asin interlocking or dispatching systems for railroads, it is desirable to indicate to the distant operator the positions of the switch, and also the presence of a train adjacent the switch. In accordance with the present invention it is proposed to provide the desired control of the application of power to the switch ma chine from a distant point over a polarized line circuit, and to transmit over the same line circuit an indication of the presence of a train on the detector track circuit adjacent the switch, and another distinctive indication when the switch is not in a position corresponding with the position of the control lever.

More specifically, in accordance withthis invention, an electric lamp or equivalent indicating means, at the distant point where the operator is located, is automatically caused to indicate, by being lighted or on tinguished, if the detector track circuit at the switch is occupied or unoccupied, and to be intermittently lighted or flashed if the switch is not in a position corresponding with the position of the control lever. V V r The characteristic features and advantages'of the invention will be in part apparent, and in part pointed out as the description progresses. V

The accompanying drawing shows in a simplified and diagrammatic manner one embodiment of the invention, the parts and circuits being shown more with the view of making it easy to understand the principles and mode-of operation of the present invention, than to illustrate the construction of the devices in detail, and all of the various'devices and circuits preferably employed in practice to constitute a complete system including the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawing,

Serial No. 404,021.

the single switch SW shown is connected to and operated by a suitable power operated switch machine SM, and it is assumed that this switch machine will be of the electrical type, such as shown in the patent to Winthrop K. Howe, No. 1,466,903, dated September 4, 1923. As shown and described in detail in said Howe patent, this type of electrical switch machine SM comprises a motor and pole-changer contacts, operated in accordance with the movement of the switch for controlling the motor circuits. In the accompanying drawing, the motor armature is designated A, its field winding F, and the pole-changer contacts PC, these contacts being illustrated diagrammatically as comprising a pairof movable contact blocks 5 and 6, which are moved from the normal position shown (in engagement with'two pairs of contact fingers 7 and 8) to the reverse position, into engagement with two other pairs of contact fingers 9 and 10, when the switch points have been shifted and locked up in the reverse position.

The switch machine SM is also assumed to include suitable point detector contacts PD, such as shown and, described, for example, in the patent to Charles S. Bushnell, No.

1,517,236, dated November 25, 1924., which are operated automatically in accordance with the position and locked condition of the switch points. shown, these point detector contacts PD comprise two contact blocks 11 and 12, movable from the normal position shown (in en-' gagement with pairs of contact fingers 13 and 14) to the other reverse position into engagement with the two other pairs of contacts 15 and 16. These point detector contacts PD are preferably connected to a suitable switch repeater relay WP, of the three-position or neutralpolar type. When the switch is in the normal position-and locked, the relay WP is energized with current of one polarity from a suitable source of current, as the battery 17 and when the switchpoints are in thereverse position and locked, the relay WP is energized with current of the opposlte polarity. These energizing circuits for the As diagrammatically relay WP may be readily traced on the drawing. While the switch points are in midstroke or unlocked, the contact blocks 11 and 12 are in the intermediate position, and the relay WP is de-energized.

Signals 18 and 18 govern traflic in one direction over the switch SW (from right to left), and signals 19 and 19 govern trafiic over the switch in the other direction. Assoeiated' with'the switch SW is the usual detector track circuit, shown diagrammatically and including the detector track relay T.

The operation of the switch machine SM is controlled by a neutral-polar relay Z,

which is governed by an operator or dispatcher at a distant point over a polarized line circuit comprising a line wire 20 and a common line OL. This line circuit is also controlled by a relay OS, in a manner explained hereinafter. The control relay Z is also preferably used for governing the indications of the signals 18-18 and'1919, in conjunction with the switch repeater relay WP and block signal circuits, in the manner as shown and described, for example, in my prior application Ser. No. 120,423, filed July 3,1926; but for the purpose of explaining this invention, it is considered unnecessary to discuss the manner of control of the signals 1818 and 19-19 it being understood that these signals may be cleared or held at stop by the operator by the energization and de-energization of the relay Z, subject to p0 sition and locked condition y of the switch points, manifested by the'energization of the relay WVP, with the presence or absence of trains determined by the block signal cir-' cuits, and the direction of traffic selected by the operator, brought about by the sequence in which the control levers for adjacent switches are operated, or in some other suitable manner.

In the simplified arrangement shown, the

apparatus inthe dispatchers oflice or tower,

, shown within the dotted rectangle DO, cornrises the manually operable control lever J, having two connected switch arms 21' and 22. The switch 21 engages stationary contacts 23 and 23 in the extreme normal and reverse position of the lever L. The switch 22. engages stationary contacts 24 and 24 during a portion of the movement of the lever near each extreme position. The dis? patchers oflice equipment also includes an inr the description of the operation. For simplicity in illustration, several. of the circuits are shown conventionally, with the symbols and indicating connections to the opposite terminals of asuitablebattery or other source of current.

0perat2'0n.The lever L is shown in the normal position, and the parts and circuits are shown in corresponding condition, the switch SW being fully over and locked in its normal position.

Under these conditions, the control relay Z 7 is energized with current of one polarity, conveniently termed the normal polarity, from a tower battery B, motor generator, or other source of current, over a circuit which may be traced from the battery B, wire 25, contact24 of switch 22, wire 26, indicating relay I, line wire 20, front contact 27 of the relay OS,.wire 28, relay Z, to.common line CL, and back to the battery B.

The control relay Z, being energized with the normal polarity, and the switch points being in the normal position to energize the relay WP with the normal polarity, the relay OS is energized by acircuit which may be traced from front contact 29 of the detector track relay T, wires 30 and 31, relay OS, wires 32 and 33, polar contact 34 of the relay P in the normal position, wire 35 and polar contact 36 of the control relay Z in the normal position.

Assume now thata train enters the detector track circuit and drops the track relay T. This opens the energizing circuit for the relay OS just traced, and breaks at its front contact 27 the line circuit for the control relay Z and de-energizing the indicating relay I. The closing of the back contact 44 of the relay I establishes a circuit for lighting the indicating' lamp IL which may be traced from contact 23 and switch 21 of the lever L, wire 37, back contact 44,'wire 38, lamp IL to The lamp IL is thus lighted when a train enters a detector track circuit, and it remains lighted, unless the operator places the control lever L in its intermediateor neutral position to, open the contacts 21-23. In this connection it will be evident that the lamp IL may be normally lighted and. then be extinguished. by the de-energization' of the relay I, and that a hell, or other suitable means maybe employed to provide an equivalent indication for either lighting or eX- tinguishing of the lamp IL.

Ifthe operator wishes to cause the switch machine SIV to assume its other, the reverse, position, he moves the control lever L from the normal position shown to the reverse position. During this movement, the energizing circuit for the relays I'and Z is momentarily opened at the switch 22 of the control lever, and the relay-I is tie-energized; but at this time the switch 21 is also out of engagement with its contacts 2323 so that the light IL is, not lighted during such manipulation, since the switch 22 engages the reverse contact 24 to re-energize the relay I, assuming of course the track relay T is energized, before the switch 21 engages contact 23", Thus, the lamp IL is not lighted during III manipulation of the lever L from one position to the other.

In the reverse position of the lever L, the.

control relay Z is energized with opposite polarity from the other tower battery B over a circuit substantially the same as the one previously traced. This shifts the polar contact 40 of the control relay Z to establish a reverse operating circuit for the switch ma chine, which may be readily traced on the drawing through the pole-changer contacts 57 and 68. The energizati on of the control relay Z with the reverse polarity also shifts its polar contact 36 from the normal position shown to the reverse position, breaking the energizing circuit for the relay OS above traced, so that this relay opens its front contact 27. This ale-energizes the relays I and Z, without, however, changing the positions of the polar armatures 36 and 4.0 of the relay Z. The dropping of the relay I lights the lamp IL in the same way as already eX- plained.

Upon such de-energization of the relay Z, its neutral contact finger 41 engages its back contact and closes a circuit for r'e-energizing the relay OS, which may be traced from front contact 29 of the relay T, wires 30 and 31, relay)OS, wires 32 and 42, back contact 41 to This picks up the relay OS, which in turn again picks up the relay Z, and thepicking up of the relay Z opens the back contact 41, again dropping the relay OS, and so on. In short, the relays Z and OS are alternately and intermittently energized, to cause the lamp IL'to be intermittently lighted and extinguished, thereby producing a distinctive flashing indication to inform the operator that the control relay Z and the switch machine are not in corresponding positions.

This flashing indication continues until the switch machine has completed its operation to the reverse position, and the point detector contacts PD have shifted to energize the relay WVP with reverse polarity to move its polar contact 34 from the normal position shown to the reverse position, whereupon the relay OS is steadily maintained energized by a circuit the same as its normal energizing circuit, eXcept including the wire 43 and the reverse contacts, polar contact fingers 34 and 36 of the relays WP and Z.

Thus, every time the operator moves the control lever L to move the switch to its other position, and assuming that the detector track circuit is not occupied, or the approach looking (not shown) is not effective to prevent operation of the switch, then the indicating lamp IL flashes while the switch machine is operated, and goes out when the switch machine has completed its operating cycle. If this flashing should continue for a time longer than that required forthe switch machine to operate, the dispatcher knows that some by power, or is moved by hand, to the reverse position. This opens the normal energizing circuit for the relay OS at the polar contact 34, and causes the flashing of the lamp IL, in the same way as if the control lever were shifted.-

In the foregoing explanation, it has been assumed that the lever L is normally left by; the operator in one extreme position or the other. In the manipulation of the system of the type, with which the present invention is assumed to be applied, it is frequently desirable for the dispatcher to have the control lever L in the intermediate or neutral position. In this case, when the dispatcher moves a lever to the normal or reverse position, thelamp IL is not lighted, if no train is present on the detector track circuit, but if there is a train present, the lamp IL is lighted, because the OS relay is (ls-energized and opensthe line circuit including the relay I. This is assuming that the control lever -L is moved to a position corresponding with the position of the switch points; if not, then the lamp IL is flashed, because the relay OS, with the control relay Z and the switch repeater relay IVP out of correspondence, may be energized independently of the track relay T, over a circuit which maybe traced from polar contact 50 of the relay WP normal, wire 51, polar contact 52 of relay Z energized, wires 53 and 31, relay OS, wires 32 and 42, back contact 41 of the relay Z.

From the foregoing it can be seen'that there is provided by this invention distinctive indications of track circuit occupancy and position of a switch, transmitted over the same polarized circuit employed for controlling the operation of the switch. While the detector track circuit is occupied, with the control lever L inits operated position, the control line circuit is broken, and the indicating lamp IL gives a steady indication. When the control lever L is shifted to operate the switch, and the detector track circuit is not occupied, the control line circuit is inter mittently opened and closed while and so long as the switch machine is out of correspondence with the control relay Z, thereby indicating to the operator that the switch is not in the positiondesired. If the switch machine is operating properly, the flashing of the lamp IL ceases after the time required for the switch machine to operate. If the operator moves his control lever L from the intermediate position to either the normal or re verse operated position while the detector track circuit is occupied, the indicating lamp IL will give a steady indication, provided the switch is in a position corresponding with the control relay Z if not,'the indicating lamp IL will flash.

It should be understood that the specific embodiment shown and described is merely illustrative of the invention, and that various adaptations and modifications may be made in the specific arrangement combination of devices and circuits shown, without departing from the invention.

What I claim is 1. In combination, a power operated switch machine for operating a track switch, a polar relay for governing the operation of the switch machine, a polar relay repeating the position of the switch points, indicating means, a circuit for the indicating means ineluding contacts of said polar relays, and automatic means for intermittently opening and closing said circuit when the contacts'of the polar relays are out of correspondence.

2. In combination, a power operated switch machine for operating a track switch, a polar relay for governing the operation of the switch machine, a polar relay repeating the position of the switch points, indicating means at a distant point, a circuit for the indicating means including contacts in series of said polar relays, and automatic means for intermittently openingand closing said circuit when the contacts of the governing polar relay are out of correspondence with the'poSition ofthe switch.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

SEDGWICK N. WVIGHT. 

